New brain scan helps detect early signs of Alzheimer’s
Published 8 March 2011
A new brain scan which can detect early signs of Alzheimer’s is being trialled at memory services in Croydon, Lambeth and Southwark.
An 'Automated MRI' software package compares a patient's brain scan against 1,200 others showing varying stages of Alzheimer's disease. This is the first time such software has been used by the NHS.
The scan has been developed by scientists at the National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health at the Maudsley Hospital and Kings College London together with colleagues from the Karolinksa hospital in Stockholm.
Alzheimer's Society comment:
Dr Anne Corbett'Doctors rely heavily on memory tests for diagnosing people with Alzheimer's, which aren't especially reliable. It's therefore a positive step to see a new technology being tested that could diagnose Alzheimer's earlier and more accurately. 750,000 people in the UK have dementia yet only 40 per cent receive a formal diagnosis. Getting an early diagnosis enables people with dementia to understand their condition, access treatments that could help relieve their symptoms and give them time to plan for the future.
This is also a great example of how scientific advancements can be translated into real benefits for people with dementia. We need more investment in research to bring better diagnosis and treatments to people with dementia as quickly as possible.'
Research Communications Manager
Alzheimer's Society
